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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bound — tied together
  8. lean — thin
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bound — certain
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. toast — bread
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. dip — to sink
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bat — for baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com